


Analog Video

by asami



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: M/M, VIdeo Store AU, oikawa embraces his nerdiness, takes place in the nineties
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-03
Updated: 2016-08-03
Packaged: 2018-07-29 03:41:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7668745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asami/pseuds/asami
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Iwaizumi tries to buy the last collector's edition of the Star Wars trilogy. Oikawa declares war. </p>
<p>Or, the time when Oikawa learned about the benefits of working at a video store.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Analog Video

“I want to buy this,” he said.

He was a frequent customer. The kind without a reputation – he chose his movies and left the store without leaving an impression on any of the employees. He was a good customer, one that could be forgotten easily. Oikawa could not recall acting as his cashier before.

“Mr. Hajime Iwaizumi…” said Oikawa, looking at the computer. It was a great, clunky, grey machine that displayed all of its information in neon green writing, on a black background. Inelegant. He could see Hajime Iwaizumi’s account information, along with a list of movies he had taken out. His fingers poised at the keyboard, he continued: “And what is it you’d like to buy?”

“This,” said Iwaizumi. He took out a thick, black box. It was a boxset, clearly, but what of?

“The… Special Letterbox Collector’s Edition of… The Star Wars trilogy?”

“Yeah. It’s a gift, for a little cousin of mine. It was the last one there.”

It truly was a beautiful box. There was a holographic photo on the front, underneath the title, proudly on display. It contained, Oikawa counted, not just the trilogy, but another tape of what appeared to be some sort of documentary, and a thin book, tucked at the end. When had their little video store acquired such a beautiful box set? And why hadn’t his manager told him about it? All Oikawa had talked about for the last week was a rumour he had heard, that prequels to the original Star Wars trilogy would be coming out soon. He had been seen in public wearing his Star Wars t-shirt.

And no one had told him about this? No one had considered that he would want to buy it first? No one had thought, _that Oikawa sure likes Stars Wars, doesn’t he? Why don’t we reserve the box set for him?_

It was criminal, really, how he suffered working here.

“I can’t let you do that, Mr. Iwaizumi,” he said (what a stuffy name!), “it says here you’ve got a late fee. We can’t let you rent or buy anything until you’ve paid it off.” The computer said no such thing, but Oikawa was not above lying when something so important was on the line.

“There’s no way I have a late fee. I’ve always returned everything on time.”

Oikawa shrugged. “Maybe there’s a problem with the computer? I can’t let you buy anything until you pay it off or it gets fixed.”

“How much is it? What movie do I have a late fee for?”

“1000 yen – for…” Oikawa peeked at the latest movie Iwaizumi had watched. “Titanic. Are you secretly a romantic, Mr. Iwaizumi?”

“It was for _my sister_ – and if I pay off that fee – I’ve always returned everything on time, by the way – then I won’t have enough for the box set.” For a sister, sure! It was remarkable how many grown men had suddenly become devoted to their sisters, who somehow couldn’t walk into a video store by themselves.

“There’s no shame in enjoying a movie like that – I mean, I have better taste, of course – but we all have our guilty pleasures! No one here is judging you.”

“It’s for a sister…” Iwaizumi said, trailing off.

“Sure, sure! But the point is, you have a late fee.”

“That’s a hefty fee! 1000 yen! I returned everything on time. I don’t know what to tell you,” said Iwaizumi. He scowled. Oikawa almost felt as though he was being reprimanded by Iwaizumi’s eyebrows.

“Iwa-chan – I can call you that, right?” Oikawa smiled. He knew it was one of his winning smiles, the one that charmed everyone.

“No. No, you can’t call me that.”

“I think you’ve been a customer here long enough that it’s OK. Besides, Iwa-chan sounds so much nicer than Mr. Iwaizumi, don’t you think? Anyways, I think it’s probably a glitch in the computer. I can get someone to look at it tonight and you’ll be able to buy and rent all the movies you’d like by tomorrow!” He kept on smiling. This was the key to customer service, right? He had usually never had to talk to someone for so long. Usually the customers were bashful, and accepted whatever he said. He had forced several of his movie recommendations down many customers’ throats, and had he ever received a thank you? _Thank you, Tooru, that was the greatest movie I’ve ever seen?_ No, he had not. Customers were constantly disappointing him, no matter how they acted.

“Well, I guess if there’s nothing I can do. Can I reserve the box set?”

“No. That’s not a policy here.” Would the man ever leave? Oikawa wanted the box set. He wanted to buy it this very instant and hide it in his car during a break.

Iwaizumi left. The box set remained on the table, until Oikawa grabbed it, and punched out of Iwaizumi’s account. He bought it quickly. There were hardly any customers left in the store at the moment, and most of them were in the back of the store, still browsing. He strolled into the employee’s room, pleased with himself.

*

Oikawa’s next shift was at the same time, next day. Only it was that Tsukishima at the cashier’s desk, while Oikawa busied himself with the displays. Oikawa felt irritated by Tsukishima’s smug face. When Tsukishima had been hired, Oikawa had already been working at the video store for a year. Tsukishima promptly proceeded to ignore the fact that Oikawa was due _some_ respect, considering he was both older in age and had been an employee for longer. And he had made fun of Oikawa’s taste in movies.

“Sci-fi? I guess that’s alright if you like cheesy stuff for kids.”

Tsukishima had his own shelf for movie recommendations. It was nothing but black and white movies, made ages ago by obscure foreign directors. Oikawa refused to watch any of them on principle.

“Oikawa? I think this guy needs your help,” said Tsukishima. Iwaizumi was at the front desk.

“I want to buy the Star Wars box set.”

“Oh! Actually, someone bought it up, already, actually. This morning.”

“I don’t rem-” Tsukishima began.

“You weren’t there,” Oikawa said, “and I couldn’t have denied them! I didn’t even know if you were coming back, Iwa-chan.”

“Well,” Iwaizumi said, “I need something for my cousin. Something nice. She likes kids’ movies like that. With aliens.”

Oikawa did not begin to explain that Star Wars had appeal for every generation. Some things could not be explained. He walked to another section of the store, searching for the movie he was looking for. “Seeing as your cousin clearly enjoys good movies, can I recommend Contact? The one with Jodie Foster?”

Iwaizumi blinked. “That’s not a kid’s movie, dude.”

“It’s never too early to start teaching kids about the very real possibilities of alien life! Who knows, your cousin could watch the movie, and become inspired to become a scientist. She could be the one to find aliens. All because of my recommendation.”

“I think… I think I’ll just get something Disney. Or something by Miyazaki. Maybe Hercules?”

“Sure, if you want to smother her potential,” said Oikawa. He shrugged. It was no concern of his. “But if you were smart, you’d get both, Iwa-chan.”

Iwaizumi glared. “Why am I listening to you? Whatever. Just give me them.”

*

Iwaizumi returned a week later.

“She loved it,” he said to Oikawa. “I don’t get it, but she did. She kept asking me if aliens were real. What am I going to say to that?”

Oikawa grinned. “We’ll have to start her on a steady diet of X-Files, and make sure she’s keeping up with her science classes… Do you have any connections with NASA? That would help.”

Iwaizumi laughed.

“Since I’m apparently your movie expert now,” Oikawa said, “I need to introduce _you_ to some real movies. So you don’t sit at home and cry to yourself while watching Titanic!”

“I like action movies. A-C-T-I-O-N movies.”

“You’re forgetting that I can see all of the movies you’ve rented. Let’s face it, you need me. Let me take you out, show you some _really_ good movies, and…”

“Are you asking me out?”

“Yes – here, write down your number for me…”

*

A few weeks later, Oikawa had invited Iwaizumi to his apartment. Iwaizumi took it in – neat, clean, austere. There was an extensive VCR collection by the television, all the boxes in bright, flashy colours, advertising their titles. And there, on the right, was the boxset he had wanted to buy. He could tell it was the same one by the small scratch right above the holographic picture.

“You complete _shithead_.”

**Author's Note:**

> I've always liked the idea of Oikawa being a total sci-fi nerd. Finally, he's found a job where he can be as shameless as he likes.
> 
> Thank you for reading.


End file.
